February, March, April/Autumn in the southern hemisphere

[Paul T]

Thanks Anne.  Glad you are enjoying them.  I think I have a pic of the whole Fuchsia if you're interested?  The flowers are of a similar size to the normal "cigarette fuchsia" (common name here.  I think it is F. magellanica?.... the red and purple one of the same shape as my pic) but it grows a bit more as a shrub rather than sending up the big water shoots from the base like magellanica (I do hope I have the right name for the one I am talking about).  I love it, even if it can get a bit large! LOL

I've been buying various interesting ferns in the last few months which I must post some pics of at times.  A number of them I have no idea of names of, but they're different to anything I have seen before.  I also now have 3 different Asplenium scolopendrium after seeing the variety of them in another thread here in the SRGC.  So VERY nice!!  I can feel yet another addiction coming on.    I must check and see whether sporangia are maturing on the variegated Adiantum for you too... last time I checked they were still green.

[annew]

AAAH! Ferns  - now is the best time when all the croziers are unfurling, so much variety in the way they uncurl. Hope they don't get nobbled by frost.

[Anthony Darby]

Not much chance of frost yet where you are, eh Paul?

[fermi de Sousa]

We visited a nursery on the weekend I've posted a few nerine pics from there at http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=249.30
Here's a sample.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Anthony,

We have historically had them this early, although not for a few years now (thankfully!! <Whew!>).  Usually at least the second half of may, but often now not until June.  It wasn't that long ago that I used to think of the end of April as being the danger period start, but now I'd be saying second week of May I start getting paranoid! LOL  The tree dahlias are starting to produce their buds now I notice, so that means that they won't be too long.  10 years ago it was always the case that the tree dahlias opened their first couple of flowers then BAM they were toasted black (we used to say it was within a week of the first flower opening, and we were generally right).  The last few years they have got into full flower before they get hit though.

[Lesley Cox]

Back on deck again, having arrived home this morning after a midnight flight into Christchurch. I need some sleep but Australia and NZ square off in a pre-semi-final world cup cricket match tonight, starting 1.30am here.

Pics will come later and probably in several new threads as there were quite distinct and different parts to my holiday from home gardens and nurseries to botanic gardens and bush walks. I took around 500 pics but WON'T show them all

Places and plants were magnificent and beautiful but the people were just amazing. Warm, loving, generous and hospitable and I had a truly fabulous time, enjoying literally every minute. A million thanks to all my super Aussie friends.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Looking forward to seeing the pics.  Such a shame you weren't up this way, but unfortunately I couldn't afford to come down to Victoria to see you while you were here (if I had the cash I would have too..... would love to have met you in person).

[Tim Orpin]

Forum traffic slowed down noticeably in your absence Lesley. It was absolutely wonderful having you over and I am very glad that you enjoyed yourself. The time went too fast. I agree that you might need to start a new thread. I will be interested to see how your Aussie photos look on the SRGC site.

Paul, you are always welcome to stay at my place should you venture down to Melbourne.

[Paul T]

Tim,

There is a dangerous offer!!!!!!  You might get me for a month though!!  I reckon it'd take me that long to see everything I want to down there!! LOL

[Maggi Young]

We are all waiting happily to see Lesley's Aussie pix when she recovers from the cricket ! It is good to have you back, Lesley . Wonderful that you had such a great trip to see your chums.... next time we should all go!........ Must start buying a lottery ticket again!

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley,

Delighted to hear you have such an enjoyable trip. We regularly read from our southern hemisphere correspondents that you wish you had such and such a plant available to you but, you know, I reckon we would all love to take a trip way down south to see all the fabulous plants you have. It's a case of the far off hills being greener, I think.

Good to have you back and looking forward to EACH AND EVERY ONE of the 500 photographs.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

A small note here for Otto who is at this very moment, trying to post some pics, with the help of a very computer literate but non Forumized friend.

Mike and Otto, I should have mentioned that when you downsize the images you want and save them with another name, save them as jpeg files. You may remember Otto that when I was at your house and we downsized some crocus pics, they were as some other kind of file and we couldn't post them until we had resaved them as jpegs. Good luck.

[Maggi Young]

Hello Otto and Hi, Mike! Hang in there, it'll work out eventually and we're are looking forward to the rsults.
Best Wishes from Aberdeen!

[Lesley Cox]

As for the cricket Maggi, I wish we'd had nothing to do with that particular game and I don't expect to recover from it, the worst one day international defeat that we had ever suffered. Still in the semis but a bad pyschological blow.

I've had a quick look at my Australian pictures and some are over exposed, I think due to the different light quality there. Most are usable and those that aren't at least will be good memories for me. I'm going to start with a few here then go on to some new threads for specific venues and gardens.

[Lesley Cox]

Talking of Aberdeen Maggi, I was told a story (and saw half the results) about an Aberdeen foundry which was commissioned to make two large and ornate statues/fountains, one for Launceston in Tasmania and the other for Buenos Aires in Argentina. The two were made and shipped off but to the wrong places so that Launceston has this huge edifice in a public garden, topped off with a very ornate pineapple. Apparently the Argentinians have Tasmania's version with heaven knows what on top. Kangaroos maybe?